Electrolytic plating machine



Dec. 7 1926. Y

' J. HULMER ELECTROLYTIC PLATING MACHNE Filed Nov. '-19, 1925 4 sheets-Sheet .1.

J. HULMER ELECTROLYTIG PLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1925 v4 sheets-Sheet s r" Il J. HULMER ELEGTHOLYTIG PLATING MACHNE Filed Nov. 19. 1925 4 shee'ts-sht- 4.

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mi plating machine, and the same has forits Y main object .theprovision of an improved-thebarrelhavenelatively large central openings 16, as best depicted in Fig. 9. Secured 60 Patented Dec. 7, i926.

Josnr HULMER, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs 'ELECTBQLYTIC PLAriNG MAcH'NE.

Appnction'mea November 19.1925. 'serial m. 69.955.

Myl inventionnrelates to-fan; electrolytic lmachine of this character which Vwill emb body certain desired features of simplicity, efliciency and convenience and which Will be economical in manufacture and durable in use. y

Other objects' will/ appear hereinafter.

The invention consistsin the combination and arrangements of-parts hereinafter 'described and claimed. 3

The'invention will be best understood byl -reference to .the accompanying 'drawings i forming a part ofthis specicatiomand 1n which, Y

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the solution tank and an'end elevation of a tumblingbarrel;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a weighted conductor arm;

Fig:A 3 isan enlarged sectlonal view taken substantially on the line 3.3 ofFig. 4 and .showing the means employed for 'securing 25, one side of the lid tothe barrel periphery;

Fig. 4 represents a cross section taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFig. 1, and showing the. outside anodes .and tumbling barrel in end elevation; y t f 80 Fig. f5 'isa to plan-view of the lid detached from the arr-el;- Fig. 6 is an end view of the lid;

' Fig. 7 represents acentral longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 'ff-7 of Eig. 4'; this view also showing in broken lines how the. article cage maybe positioned -for ready rel; i

Fig.- 8 isa fragmentary sectionall view. taken'substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig, 34 and showing how the sleeve conductor is held in operative positionon the/shaft;-

Fi .9. is 'a central cross section taken sub-` stantially on the line of Fig.1,fand,

Fig.. 10 is a perspective view of the artivcle cage.

The preferred embodiment of myinvention, as illustrated` in the accompanying drawin s, includes a solutiontank 11, made of woo or other 'material suitable for .con-

taining the plating solution, anda tumbling barreldenoted generally by theJ numeral 12, mounted upon the solution tank'so as to turn -sthrough theV solution within the tank. To

better obtain the desired tumbling action, -the Aperiphery 13 ozf the barrel not asm'ooth insertion into the tumbling barfor the solution.

-ticles to` be plated, and-'as well for the applicircle but consists of angulail connected cross strips as 14. The oppose "ends 15 of to each end 1 5 of the barrel is a bushing`in the form of a ,two-part clamping Jwheel 1-7 adaptedv to be'clamped by means of bolt and mit structures 1 8 and 19 upon a power receiving shaft 20 which is operatively 05 mounted in suitable bearings provided in the solution tank 11 above the tolerancey line 2 Inside anodes in the form of two-part clafnping wheels 22 are clamped upon the 70 shaft 20 within the barrel by means of suitable bolt ancl nut structures23 and 24. By making theV anodes in the form oftwopart clampingwheels, they may be quickly attached to and as quickly removed romthe shaft 20, Ywhich comprises an electrical con-y ducting medium. Being' thus fixed to the shaft, the inside anodes 22 turn with the barrel through -the plating solution 25 'contained in thesolution tank 11, as best indicated in Fig. 1. According 'to anim ortant feature of the present invention, t el 'e'` riphery 13 of the tumbling barrel isprovidbd throughout with closely associated perforations 26 sc that 'the plating solution may i readily pass to the interior of the barrel during rotation thereof; In this connection,

it is also -to be lnotedtha-t the` provision of the end openings 16 and of the Wheel-like bushings 17 permits the plating solution to 90 pass through the ends of the barrel.

' For the insertion and removalm the arcation and removal of the anodes 22, the

periphery 13 if the tumblingbarrel is pro- `Wide'd with a removable' lid 27 which also contains the perforations 26. In the construction shown, the removablelid 26 lconstitutesf'a part ofthe periphery 13 and-is interengaged with the peripheral Walls de- 109 lining the space or doorway occupied by the lid. Thus, theperiphery as onectermlnal Wall has an outside projecting 'la.nge .28,-y and with the opposite terminal wall inside lrojecting flange 29. The lid is made with cooperating anges 28 and 29', adapted respectively to overlap theiil'anges 28 and-29 of the barrel periphery. 'As a means" for effectively securing the lid in ition s o' that it will su port the weight o the 1119 articles,- t e terminal of the'v periphery 13 is provided with'apivvot pin 30 onwhich Yis s.

has an L Iswingably mounted a catch plate 31 provided with a headed pin 32 receivable in n arcuate undercut slot 33 extending inwardly of the lid from the outer edge thereof, as best shown in Fig. 4. Two such catch plates 31 are rovided for securing one edge of the li to the barrel periphery. The means for secur-y ing the opposite end of the lid to the barrel periphery are best illustrated in Fi 3, from which it will be seenthat I provlde hinge connected screws 34 and 35; the screw 34 being threaded into the barrel periphery 13 while the screw projects outwardly of the barrel. The lid 27 is furnished with a plate 36 having a yoked end 37 adapted tol straddle' the pin 35 to which the wing intd 38 may be applied for firmly securing the parts in position. As illustrated in Fig. 4, two such connecting plates 36 are provided on the lid 27.

. In the present construction, the cathode is denoted by 39 `and extends entirely around the inner lside *of the barrel periphery 13; the cathode consisting of a strip which is partly countersunk in the angularly connected stri s 14 comprising the barrel periphery an which is partlyraised above the inner surfaces thereof where it may be engaged b the articles tumbled within the barrel. referably and as shown, the cathode strip 39 extendsy entirely around the inner periphery of the barrel, its ends terminating at the doorway for-.,the lid 27. A similar cathode stri 39 isfxed to the inner face of the lid 2 and is adapted to comprise an electrical bridge forconnecting the broken cathode strip-.39, upon the a plication of the lid. ILeading from cat ode strip 39 is a conducting strip 40 (Fig.9) which extends through, first, the periphery 'of the barrel, then'within a' side 15 of the barrel and' finally out through the vadjacent vcentral opening 16 to be connected with a disk cnductor 41 which/is-mounted uponthe shaft.,20 to turn therewith, but is insulated from the shaft by an insulation `ring 42' (Fig. 1). The conducting disk 41 .l has a V-shaped circumferential vgroove 43 -in 4which lrests a conformingly shaped bow l44 formed on-a conducting arm 45 which is pivoted aty 46 to anend of the solution container 11.A Beyond the bowed portion 44, the conductor arm 45 is provided with a weight 47, whereby suitably tomaintain the bowed portion in proper contact with the conductor disk'i41. To vthe conductor arm x48 which leads back f qsolutionf' container- 11 above the solution tolerance'line 21 is aconductor bar 49 which serves as the means for' supporting outside anodes 50 emade inthe form ofcurved places which areA held pendent in the plating solation so as to curve about the eri'phery o'f the tumbling barrel. Under t is arrangement the solution intlowing through the,- perforations of the barrel periphery will carry plating material from the outsde of the barrel therein. f

YTo the conductor bar' 49 is attached a `s'upply wire 51 which leads from' a rheostat 51 for regulating the current, said rheostat being suitably connected with a source of current. TQ thevba;` 49 is also attacheda terminal 52jffrom which a conducting wire 53 leads vto a terminal 54 on a sleeve 55 which surrounds the shaft' 20. In this manner, the inside anodes 22 are connected electrically with ythe outside anodes 50. 'Since the conductor bar 49 lis stationary, it is necessary for the sleeve 55 to be held in stationar contact with the revolving shaft20. o this end, the sleeve`55 is provided with a projecting post 56 which lis engaged between the ends of a bifurcated arm 57 attached (Fig. 8).

As indicated b the arrows shown in Figs. l 1 and 7, 'the tum ling barrel, in the present to the articlesgtumbledgaboutw .f

tothe solution tank construction,.turns`from left to right or 'in 'various heights in the zone directly op osite'said outside anodes whence they tum le yback toward the lowest point or zone of the revolvin barrel. Under this arrange- .A

ment, the p ating solution inflows throuofh v the perforations 26 to the articles to e;

plated, in addition to an outlowing Lof the pDlating solution from the inside anodes 22. uring the turning of the tumbling barrel,

lthe articles subjected to the plating'operation are continually tumbled against'each other and as well against the cathode 39- by which the current leads from the electro lyte.l through lthe'conducting rod 40, disk 41 and weighted arm 44 and thence back to the source of electrical supply. l

According to an important feature of my present invention,'I provide an article cage 59 which is adapted to be -inserted in the tumbling4 barrel u n the removal of the lid 26, and` whic y revolution ofthe tumblingl barrel, to re.-L ceive automatically'for removal from the barrel all of the articles therein contained. With this end in view, I fix to'the inner faces ofthe ends 17 suitable rib members 60 whichk extend inwardly from the edge of the doorway for the lid 26. This arrange ment is such that when the lid is removed the article ca e 59 may. be moved directly is vadapted upon one j from a .suita ly inclined platform 61 in j through. the doorway and on tothe end. ledges 60. As bestrrepresented in Fig. 7, the top of the article cageis made to form substantially fturns upwardly with the barrel.

with the` contour of the barrel periphery, The forward end ofthe article cage is open 4as at 62; it being noted that, under ,this

arrangement, the said open end 62 faces the directlon of the barrels rotation so that the articles will tumble thereinto as the cage y Through the use of this cage, therefore, all of the articles, when they have' been) plated, may. Ee qlickly and readily removed from .the arre While` I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carryinggmy invention into effect, this is cagable of variation and modification without l eparting from the s irit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of lconstruction set forth,4

s but desire to avail myselfof such variations and modifications as-come within the scopex of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrolytic plating maehine'includ.

ing a solution tank;'a rotatableshaft on the tank; a tumbling barrel carried by the shaft for turning through the solution within the tank; a cathode arranged on the inner periphery of the barrel; and, anodesearrie'd clamping Wheels. F

2. An electrolytic plating machine.includ ing a solution tank; a rotatable shaft on .the

vby the shaft Iand comprisingfseparabie tank;l a perforated tumbling barrel carried .by the shaft for' turning through the solution within the tank; anodesxarranged in the vtank outside'thel barrel; cathodes arranged on thel inner periphery' of the barrel; and removable anodes in the form of two-part; wheels secured'to 'said shaft withinv l the barrel. Y

3. An electrolytic plating machine includ lnga solution tank; a tumbling barrelassociated with (the tank and characterized -hyfA perforated peri hery -to insure'the clamping having a passing o the'solution t erethrough; 'a removable'lid forming part ofthe periphery,l

of the barrel; anodes arranged inside and outsidethe barrel on opposite sides of the perforated periphery; a 2cathode strip .ex-

ltending around the inner peripher barrel from one side of the lid to' t e o' posite side thereof; andv a bridging catvode lstrip carried by-said lid.

4. In an electrolytic plating-machine, the

combination with a tumbling barrel rotatably nrpunted to `turn through 'the plating solutionand having a peripheral'doorway,

between its ends, retainm strips extending4 inwardly of the ends'of t e barrel from the doorway; an article cage adapted to he e11- tered through the doorwayand to vbe reposed on said en'd retaining strips, and a door foi` thedoorwa'y constituting partof the periph-4 barrell being closely fsf.

ery of'. theI barrel and adaptedito hold the article cageinplace. v 5. In combination with a tumbling barrel rotatably mounted upon. a tank 4to-tuin through the solution therein, a removable lid' forming part of the periphery of the barrel; a ,cathode strip arranged on' the inner periphery of-the barrel to be engaged by the.

articles Within the barrel dur-ing the vtum-4 bling action thereof, said cathode stripkteiu" minating. at opposite sides of the '-lid; 'a cathode strip on. thelid to' bridge the-distance between the terminals lof `the first cathode strip;ribs"extending inwardly of the barrel/'from the lid andan articlexcage adapted to be -entere'dthrough the space'oceupled by the lid when the lid is removed, and -to rest on saidfribs, said lcage having an open end facing the .diret-ionof movementn of the barrel-to receive the Yartciles as they tumble to the lowest point therein. v

. 6. In combination witha tumbling barrel rotatably mounted upon a tank to turn A through the solution therein, -a power receiving shaft-mounted onthe tank bushings in the form ofV clamping members on the ends of'v the barrel vreceiving said shaft; -.anodr. s

clamped lto the shaft withinithe barrel and a cathode striV extending around periphery o ,the barrel.

' 7. In' combination with a tumbling barrel the inner rotatably .mounted upon a 'tank to turn through the solution therein, a power receiv.-

,ing shaftl mounted on thetank.; bushings in the form of clamping wheels on the ends of 4 00 endsfofl the barrel receiving saidy shaft; a v

cathode strip .extending around the inner periphery ofthe barrel;anode plates in thev of thev tank curving about the barrel, the periphery of). the, barrel .being closely perforated ,throughoutI for the iniowing -of theplating solution; land anodesin the form of two-` part clampingy wheels clamped to the shaft within thevbarrel. j

9. In combinatioma solutix/)n-tank; a con;

ductor. shaft rotatably mounted thereon; a .tumbling barrel; bushings in the form of 'clamping wheels-onthe ends of the barrel receiving said shaft; anodes inthe form of clamping wheels clamped to the shaft within the barrel; said barreh'having its periphery closely perforatedY f or the passing of the soiso lution and provided with a doorwa for the position; an electrical connection between l0 application and removal of the ano es; a lid said anode plate and sleeve; a conductin adaptcdto be interengaged with the Walls of Wheel turning with the shaft but insulate said doorway; a cathode strip .extending therefrom and an electrical connection bcaround the inner periphery of the barrel; a tween said Acathode strip and said conduct- Abridging; cathode strip carried by the'lid; an"z ing wheel. n l5 anode plate in the tank curving aboutv the In testimony whereof-I Vhave signed my outer periphery ofthe barrel; a sleeve loosename to this specification.

x1y snrronndng the shaft and held in fixed JOSEF HULMER. 

